Getting rid of mosquitoes doesn’t have to involve deadly chemicals or the latest expensive gimmick. Effective control is a combination of vigilance, personal repellent and using the right products to target specific areas.
Garlic barrier, commonly sold as Mosquito Barrier, has been used for years in agriculture to repel insects from crops and even keep birds from eating tree fruits. It works by overwhelming the mosquito’s sensory system which is 10,000 times more finely tuned than ours. Once the product is dry, you can’t smell it, but they sure can – and they can’t stand it! As it is not a contact pesticide like other backyard sprays, it is safe for beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.
Easy to apply
Sold as a liquid concentrate, garlic barrier is 95-99% garlic with a natural sulfur compound that repels mosquitoes and other pests. There are three easy steps to mix and apply:
- Dilute the concentrate with water according to the label in a clean pump sprayer that has not held herbicides or “weed and feed.”
- Pressurize the container by pumping, and apply to shrubs, trees, fences and other structures around the perimeter of your yard. Spray as high as you can reach and avoid coating flowers.
- Reapply after it rains or after 30 days, whichever comes first.
This can be a great tool to use ahead of a pool party, family barbeque, or to simply enjoy your yard free from pesky bloodsuckers.
As this creates a barrier at the edge of your yard, make sure you don’t have any sneaky water sources within the perimeter that are breeding mosquitoes. Keep in mind, many common culprits are out of of sight. Do you have any of the following?
- French drains
- Gutters with leaf debris
- A water meter box that gets flooded by rain or irrigation
- Plant saucers
- Toys, tarps or bags of potting soil that collect water
Address these first so you aren’t trapping mosquitoes within your property.
For other easy ways to mosquito-proof your patio – check out this two-part series.
For more information on keeping mosquitoes out of your backyard, check out thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/mosquitoinfo. To report a mosquito problem, contact the Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.